


The Chains Are On

by snowynight



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Character Study, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 11:56:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5162978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowynight/pseuds/snowynight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock walks beside his captain, pondering the diffferent chains he bears on himself. (Set in an AU that magic exists)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Chains Are On

“Your path lies elsewhere. Live long and prosper.” This begins Spock's self exile into the space.

Emotion is a sin. Magic is taboo to offworlders. The mantra is branded into Spock's mind, and he doesn't need any reminder even, or especially when he serves in an all-human ship . The humans complain that he is too cold, too distant, speculating that he has a computer for his mind and heart. If only. If they really know him, if they really see the chains he imposed on himself for their sake, they will shut him off from the stars, which is a logical decision. 

Spock cannot leave the stars. They are still not far enough for him to escape his heritage, but at least he can lose himself in their indifference to mere mortals, whose lives are like a wink to them. 

He has successfully masqueraded himself for years on Enterprise, appreciating the irony that he was only considered as a Vulcan among the illogical emotional humans. He considered his control to be perfect. Then Captain Kirk came. 

On the first day the captain is onboard Enterprise, Spock can feel a subtle change in air, something subtle, undistinguished, and almost a hint of magic. Illogical. The new captain does not have any magical ability according to the official record. Yet when he smiles at Spock and said formally, "Permission to come onboard," Spock senses danger. Something about his new captain doesn't match up, and Spock is determined to figure it out - it is after all logical to understand his commanding officer as well as possible, so that he can better fulfill his duty. 

The captain can play the emotions of people around him like a fine instrument. This illogical metaphor comes to him, after another mission in which only his captain’s mastery of people turns a potential catastrophe into another success. He is such a natural to navigate the turbulent ocean of emotion, to control the flow to achieve what he wants, that Spock is fascinated when the captain seems so unconscious about it. Not even him is immune: a teasing wink and friendly banter lead to his eyebrow rising, as if it had a mind of itself, a stern disapproval makes him search for a way to make it right, the unspoken fear in his clinging arms triggers an instinct to protect and comfort. It will be dangerous if this goes on, if this is not his captain, his friend, Jim. 

The doctor always gets emotional when he does not demonstrate his feeling in a manner he understands, like all other humans whose gossips about him are too loud for him to miss. Jim only gets amused, his teasing and banter always friendly, and he is willing to back off when he senses Spock’s need for space. He teaches him to play poker when Spock asks to, then unobstructedly invites Spock to a poker game with a few senior crews - “Good practice is important, don’t you agree?” Jim says with a smile - just like other events which Jim guides him to know the crew around him. Day by day Spock starts to work on a truce with his heritage and the things inside himself that he dared not name, with the help of Jim. It is an exploration into the unknown, but Spock has opted for this since the day he bound himself to the Starfleet. Risk is not only the captain's business. 

It also leads to dream. 

In his dream, there is a place, a secret place where only Jim and him have access to, where Spock lays himself bare to Jim, and loses himself in the magic that they weave together. In his waking hours he can get a glimpse of the place, in the smile Jim bestows on him, in their almost touching, in their late night games which the distance fades into intimacy. 

But a dream will turn into a nightmare if it rips the constraints and leaps into the reality, a shelter into a cage, so Spock dreams, and when awake, walks beside Jim with his dream chained inside.


End file.
